


RCR

by Amariys



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Designer Babies, Gen, Implied Child Abuse, M/M, Mind Manipulation, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-03
Updated: 2016-09-03
Packaged: 2018-08-12 19:36:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7946542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amariys/pseuds/Amariys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are three things Kageyama Tobio is sure of: 1) He’s not a normal human. 2) He’s supposed to obey every orders given to him without doubt. 3) Freedom is something he can only dream of. At least, that’s what he thought until suddenly a group of rebels break into his home. They bring chaos along with a certain boy with bright orange hair and even brighter eyes. A boy who ignores all the walls Kageyama has built around himself and thus destroys his world. Ever since then, Kageyama Tobio is sure of nothing at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	RCR

**Author's Note:**

> This is my entry for HQBB event this year. It's an idea I've been playing around for a while and it still gives me massive headache as I write it. This story hasn't been finished yet. If anything, this is just the first part of the whole story. I'm not sure when I'll be able to finish the next parts though so for now this is all I can give to you. 
> 
> Thank you so much for my beta: mrbellamy-sir on tumblr for fixing my grammatical mistakes and for their useful advise. I've made some changes to the story after they finished their job though, so any mistakes you may find solely belong to me. Thank you also for my artist, rainbowderpyparts on tumblr for their amazing artwork which you can find on hqbb tumblr. Last but not least, thank you for the mods of hqbb who have been very patient and understanding throughout the event!

**R C R**

* * *

“I wonder how many more years it'd take for me to actually hate the color white."

That thought popped into Kageyama Tobio's mind out of nowhere, just like any random thoughts he usually had when left to his own devices without any orders from his superiors. Just like usual, too, he'd continue playing with that thought, mindless about where it'd lead him to. More often than not these thoughts would end up at the same place anyway. To the beginning of it all—or, to be more precise, the beginning of his very existence.

"Let's see, I'm around sixteen years old now. My first memory is when I was around... two years old, I guess. So that means it's been... fourteen years that I’ve been surrounded by these white walls," Kageyama held up his fingers to help the counting. "Huh, that's enough time to be fed up with something as bland as the white color."

It really was. Fourteen years were enough time to be fed up with most trivial things, not least the whole whiteness of this room. So, normally, he should hate the color already.

"Ah, but then again, I'm not normal."

Kageyama spoke as if this was a new revelation for him (which it was NOT). He stared at his upheld fingers for a moment longer, expression set on frowning, before shrugging in the end and dropping his hands.

"Nothing new today either."

Because today his thoughts ended up in the same place as usual. To his status as an abnormal human.

Though nowadays, being abnormal wasn't really peculiar. In the age where technology had improved so much, humans were no longer sufficient to describe their species. No, humans were now divided into three categories instead: Normals (which were the human beings known long before the age of technology), RCR—short for Rapid Cells Regenerator—who had extraordinary self-healing ability, and Divers, the very few people who could sneak into people's mind and take over their free-will.

Kageyama Tobio was not Normal. He was a Diver. The government's best kept secret weapon—or one of them at the very least—so maybe he shouldn't be surprised his thoughts weren't like normal people's either.

"I wonder what being normal feels like."

This was also something he'd often said. Sometimes to his colleagues and superiors whenever they came to visit, but mostly to himself. Because Kageyama had never felt normal. He wasn't allowed to be normal.

Even his conception wasn't something that could be called natural.

Unlike normal humans, Kageyama wasn't born from a woman's womb. His whole birth was designed by other humans' hands. He was a pure designer baby, born from a special egg cell and many, many selected sperms. After that 'he' was placed in a special incubator for around ten months—longer than a normal human's pregnancy would be—until finally he was truly 'born' into the world.

Ever since then this white room had become his home. If you could call a windowless room with only a bed and a bedside table as home. Kageyama wasn't really familiar with the concept of prison, but Oikawa Tooru—his mentor—had once called this room as Kageyama's very own prison.

To be honest, Kageyama's situation didn't bother him much. True, he rarely could get out of this building and even when he did so, it would always be to do the jobs his superiors gave to him, but this was a life Kageyama had always known. In a way, he was grateful he had never tasted true freedom before, because he couldn't long for something he had never had, right?

There were three things Kageyama was very sure of in his life:

1) He wasn't a Normal human.

2) He was supposed to obey every order his superiors gave to him.

3) Freedom was something he could only dream of.

"Still, I wonder how it'd feel to have true freedom. I wonder how it'd feel to be normal."

Sometimes Kageyama would entertain this thought. He'd like to play pretend if he could, but unfortunately his imagination had never been a rich one. He was raised to be practical, so he didn't have the time to dwell on things that weren't real. Thus he usually would stop thinking altogether after a while and found other things to focus on, like training.

However today he couldn't even finish his thought. A sudden explosion shook the whole building and jolted Kageyama out of his daydreaming. He immediately sprang up to his feet, his whole body alert to the ruckus he could hear faintly.

There were shouts followed by the sound of gunshots. Kageyama gritted his teeth. He wished for nothing more than getting out there to find out what actually happened, but his room was code-locked from outside and only his superiors were able to unlock it.

"Damn it!"

A rare curse slipped out of his lips in a hiss as Kageyama felt a sense of uselessness surrounding him. He should be able to destroy those intruders easily—because that was Kageyama's main order: to destroy all of his superiors' enemies—but he was forced to take on the bitter fact that he was incapable of even doing that without permission from others.

* * *

"HINATA! Leave this room to Ryuu and Noya! We'll go ahead and check out the other rooms!"

"Roger that, Suga-san! We're counting on you, Tanaka-san!"

"Ouh! Leave it to us, Hinata! Make sure you protect Suga-san's back!" Tanaka Ryuunosuke gave a quick thumb up to Hinata before focusing his attention back at the guards in front of him. Though apparently Noya didn't need much help from him.

The government's research laboratory outline was quite straightforward. There were no secret passages, but the higher up Hinata and Sugawara went, the more guards they had to fight too. It was quite obvious whatever important secret the government decided to keep would be guarded on the topmost floor. Which meant that was where Hinata and Suga should go.

Thankfully the government facility they had decided to 'visit' was just a small one. Nothing fancy and even more guarded compared to the main facility in the Central City. There were only a few skilful guards here and Hinata could easily overpower them. Of course, Daichi's order to not kill anybody was making this mission harder than it really should be, but still Hinata and Sugawara reached their main target relatively fast.

The last room they hadn't checked was locked with an access card, just like the other rooms. Hinata stepped back the moment Sugawara gave a nod. A few quick shoots from Sugawara, a small explosion could be heard and then a mechanical hiss followed as the iron door in front of them slid open.

Both Sugawara and Hinata waited for a moment. When there were no immediate shooting, Sugawara gave Hinata a signal which was received by a quick nod. With his gun ready in hand, Hinata dashed into the room. His eyes immediately captured his surroundings—just a normal, if a bit bare, room with no windows, no sign of weapons found—until finally his gaze fell on the only occupant in the room.

Something akin to an electrical shock ran through Hinata's body as he found 'him'. His eyes widened for a second, breath caught in his throat as he took in more details of the boy in front of him. A boy who didn't look all that older than Hinata, with hair as dark as the night sky and equally dark eyes which were staring right at Hinata with no sign of fear at all.

The moment was gone right after that as Hinata heard Sugawara stepping into the room a few feet away from him. All that was left in Hinata was the sole knowledge that this boy was the reason they did all of this.

Right there and then, Hinata knew without a doubt that they had found their treasure.

* * *

KAGEYAMA knew the intruders were getting closer to him. He knew that very well from the shouts that kept getting louder and louder. What he didn't understand was why nobody had come to fetch him first. Sure, he didn't really have any weapon in his room, but at the very least his power should be able to hold those intruders back. In Kageyama's logic, he really should be out there, fighting with the other guards.

Maybe there was nobody left to take him out? The thought was dreadful, but Kageyama also knew most of his superiors here were mere scientists.   
The facility which was also Kageyama's home wasn't a military base like the one in Central City. This was just a small facility which mainly worked as a laboratory. Upstairs were the scientists' office and residential area—also Kageyama's own room—while the two basements were dedicated to the creation of Kageyama's 'siblings'. Although to Kageyama's knowledge, none of his siblings actually lived through the experiment.

So the thought that all of his superiors were already killed was dreadful but not surprising. Which left Kageyama in a bit of a predicament. He would never let himself be killed without a fight, of course, but if the enemies outnumbered him, his chance of actually surviving was akin to none.

Kageyama took a deep breath when there were shootings right in front of his door. He fiddled with his black gloves, heartbeat pulsing loudly in his ears as slowly the door which separated him and his enemies slid open with a heavy hiss. He took on a defensive stance, glaring straight at the doorway, ready to face anyone who came in.

There was a moment of tense silence which felt like an eternity. Then Kageyama saw a movement, something quick dashing into the room. The first thing he saw after that was a gun held forward and ready in the hand of the intruder. The sight made Kageyama's hackles rise up. He lifted up his gaze to meet the intruder's wide bronze eyes, the only things he could see clearly from the intruder since the bottom half of his face was obscured by a black masker. He saw something glinted on those orbs, something that made the intruder freeze up.

Kageyama didn't know what that something was and frankly he didn't care. What he saw was a chance instead and so he took it immediately. He knew his move was fast—his mentor had often complained about how he couldn't stand still to be caught—so he'd expected the surprised look on his enemy's face as he got into his face.

"Shit-!!"

That was all the orange haired boy could get out before Kageyama's punch landed square on his face. Not a second after, Kageyama had spun and kicked the gun out of Hinata's hands. It went down with a clatter but before Kageyama could dive for it, Hinata had regained his bearing and retaliated by grabbing Kageyama's shirt and giving him a solid headbutt.

Kageyama hissed in pain. He could feel blood dripping from his nose. Damn, that kid's head was as hard as a rock. Thankfully, this was nothing compared to things Kageyama had experienced in a real battle. That little smack only managed to make him stumble instead of falling flat on his ass, and once he'd righted himself, Kageyama launched his own counterattack.

They brawled for a while. It was obvious Kageyama had the upper hand though since Hinata's attacks were too sloppy and predictable. He still managed to land a hit or two, but Kageyama always returned them in double. Still, no matter how beaten up he was, Hinata didn't seem to feel it at all. His attacks become more aggressive instead and Kageyama couldn't help the growl that slipped out of his lips.

Once he had the chance Kageyama tackled Hinata to the ground and pinned the smaller boy with his own body. He bared his teeth when his gaze met with determined ones—without a sign of weakening or giving up—before punching Hinata's face again. The gasp that could be heard after that brought satisfaction to Kageyama. He lifted his hand again, readying a second punch, but he never managed to deliver it.

"That's enough!" Sugawara Koushi barked out. The silver haired man hastily grabbed Kageyama's wrist and manhandled him until he moved away from Hinata. His usually kind eyes were hard as he struggled to restrain the boy in his arms. "Stop fighting! We're not here to hurt you!"

"Liar!" Kageyama spat. He squirmed and punched furiously at Sugawara, but the man didn't budge at all. Kageyama gritted his teeth. This man was stronger than he looked. Guess he had no choice but to use his power instead.

"I'm not lying! Listen to me! We're not here to hurt you!"

"Shut up," said Kageyama in a hiss. He stopped squirming for a while, waiting until Sugawara's hold loosened a bit—which it did even just for a second—before twisting around so he could grab at Sugawara's wrist. He stared directly into Sugawara's startled eyes as he gave out a command:

"Let go of me."

Immediately, Sugawara's eyes glazed over. His body became slack, almost like a puppet with cut strings. Without words he released Kageyama from his hold and took a step back. Even then, he was still looking at Kageyama attentively, as if waiting for the next order.

Kageyama contemplated his options. He could release Sugawara from his power immediately—because Kageyama had seen Sugawara's thoughts and they were too pure to be tainted like this—or he could order him to finish his friend. It might be low, but then again they were enemies. Enemies should never be shown mercy.

"YOU BASTARD!!"

The shout startled Kageyama so bad that he almost jumped, but it was nothing compared to the way his body was suddenly slammed down to the floor and away from Sugawara. He and his assailant fell down with a heavy thump. Kageyama screwed his eyes shut when the back of his head hit the marble floor with enough force to make him dizzy afterwards.

"How dare you dive into Sugawara-san like that!" Hinata shouted again.

He was overtaken by fury as he grabbed Kageyama's shirt roughly and rained him with continous punches. He didn't care where his hits landed. All that mattered was that he hurt Kageyama badly for taking away Sugawara's free will, even if just for a moment.

Kageyama automatically held his hands up, trying his best to protect his face from Hinata's punches. His mouth was filled with the taste of blood now and it was disgusting. He spat some out when Hinata's punches started to decrease. It was obvious the orange haired boy was still angry, but he was starting to get exhausted. His moves were getting sloppier and Kageyama was quick to seize his chance. He caught Hinata's wrist and, once again, stared straight into Hinata's eyes as he repeated his previous order:

"Let go of me."

Kageyama waited expectantly for Hinata to obey his order, but Hinata's eyes were still clear as ever. There was no sheen of glaze there. Those bright bronze orbs were still glaring at Kageyama fiercely. For a few more seconds Kageyama waited, thinking that maybe Hinata was one of those stubborn people whose minds were always harder to take over, but when Hinata's grip on his shirt became tighter instead Kageyama knew something was very wrong.

There was still no glaze in Hinata's eyes. Those big orbs were still as clear and full of anger as before. Kageyama's own eyes widened in disbelief. Impossible. He had never met someone who could resist his ability before. That kind of people didn't exist! They shouldn't exist!

Seeing Kageyama's expression, Hinata's eyes glinted almost smugly.

"Your stupid ability won't work on me, bastard."

Those words were enough to make Kageyama's breath stop for few seconds. His whole body wasparalyzed by shock and a bit of amazement. He could only watch as Hinata lifted his fists again before closing his eyes in anticipation for the beating he was about to receive.

"Hinata, that's enough. Remember our orders."

That calm voice cut through the thick tension in the room and it sounded far closer than it should be. As Kageyama opened his eyes, he realized the silver haired man from earlier was already standing near Hinata. In fact, he was near enough to grip Hinata's raised wrist in a gentle yet firm hold.

"But, Suga-san! He tried to control you! I couldn't forgive that!!"

"He was just defending himself. Besides, our leader will be angry at us if you really beat him too badly. Surely you don't want that to happen."

Hinata gulped nervously. Sawamura Daichi was a kind leader most of the time, but he was very scary when mad. Reluctantly the orange haired boy nodded. His grip on Kageyama's shirt loosened up as he lost his anger.

"Alright, but I'll still knock him out if he dares to do something like that to you again."

"That's a good boy." Sugawara released Hinata's wrist and gave him a pat on the head as a reward. Then his gaze shifted to Kageyama who watched the exchange with silent curiosity. He took a few steps towards the dark haired boy, pulled down his own black masker and squatted so that he'd be more-or-less on thesame eye-level as him.

"Hi there. I'm Sugawara Koushi and this boy here is Hinata Shouyou," said Sugawara with a big, disarming grin on his face. "I know we've had a rough start, but I'd be very pleased if you'd come with us. As you can see, we don't have much time for small talk here."

Kageyama narrowed his eyes. "How can I know you're not going to trick me?"

"Well, I can give you my word, but it's up to you to trust me or not. However, I know you have questions and if you come with us, I'll at least give you some answers. That's a promise."

Sugawara looked sincere with his words, but Kageyama still had doubts. Being sheltered from the outside world didn't mean he was naive. He had learned, from the times when he was given his missions, that putting your trust in someone was risky. Especially if that someone was a stranger with a gun in his hands.

Still, he was indeed tempted. Kageyama had a lot of questions, starting from the most obvious one—like who the hell these people actually were?—to the most intriguing of them all: Hinata Shouyou. Kageyama's superiors never told him about his power's limitation—that someone who could actually resist his influence like Hinata existed—and up until now Kageyama never had any doubt about his ability.

What Sugawara offered was not only a chance to see the outside world, to figure out what freedom actually tasted like, but also a chance to know more about himself and his power—two things his superiors would always refuse to answer whenever he asked.

In the end, Kageyama knew he never really had any choice from the start. He longed for answers. He’d always been like that even before these intruders barged into his room like this. So there really was no other answer Kageyama could give to Sugawara besides a firm nod.

"Alright. I'll come with you."

And as Hinata's bronze orbs pierced him with that answer, Kageyama could feel a shiver run through his whole body. There was no turning back for him now. Whatever happened next, Kageyama could only hope he hadn't just made the worst decision in his life.

* * *

HINATA Shouyou was supposed to be a Diver. He was one of the successful experiments. Or at least that was what the scientists once thought, because Hinata was actually strong enough to ‘hatch’ from his incubator. He was raised within a government lab in the 9th District until it was time to awaken his Diver ability. Which actually meant hours and hours of grueling and painful tests just so Hinata could dive into the scientists’ minds to force them to stop.

He never could do that.

Sure, he was angry and sad and confused each time he took the tests. Sometimes the pain was too much and Hinata would hope he could order them not to stop but to die instead. He hoped and hoped and hoped until finally he figured there was no use in hoping anymore. He was tired. He had tried his best and still failed so there really should be no use trying anymore.

Hinata Shoyo was prepared to die when he was twelve. All because he knew what’d happen to those who failed the experiments. Children like him were especially dangerous since they had known the government’s top secret since their birth—heck, they were the secret itself—and if words about the experiments leaked out, another rebellion was sure to follow. It was a risk the government just couldn’t take.

Though Hinata had always thought there was some kind of mercy in the way the children were disposed of. At the very least they never felt pain. They were simply injected by some kind of poison that would let them sleep forever. Hinata had seen it few times. The kid he was still laughing with at dinner would suddenly be taken away by the scientists in the next morning. Their unconscious face so peaceful like they were still sleeping but there would be no life left in the body.

Hinata Shoyo had accepted that fate, but apparently Fate Herself was rather fond of him.

During his time in the lab, Hinata was really close with the Division Head. He was a kind man who always smiled so gently. He was the one who would find Hinata whenever he couldn’t sleep after the tests, only to sit down beside the boy and often hugged him until he was asleep.

When Hinata’s name was put into the list of defects, the Divison Head took action swiftly. He called for his friend in the 10th district, someone called Ukai, and the both of them made a plan to sneak Hinata out of the lab. It was a risky move. Hinata himself wasn’t told anything about it and perhaps that was wise. If he had known of the plan, Hinata probably would’ve blown it simply because he was too excited—or anxious—to keep quiet about it.

Back then, no one actually believed that reckless plan would work, but Hinata was a special kid favored by Fate, so by some miracle the Division Head actually managed to sneak Hinata out and then his friend carried the confused boy back with him to the 10th district. Hinata had not seen the lab again ever since. The last memory he had of the Division Head was of the man’s gentle face as he smiled at Hinata and told him everything would be alright. That Hinata wouldn’t feel pain anymore; that he’d soon find a new home—a new _family_.

The man hadn’t lied.

Ukai ran an orphanage in District 10. It was rather small, only fit for ten or twelve kids at most, but everyone in the orphanage was warm and kind. They welcomed Hinata immediately without asking questions. Shimizu Kiyoko, the oldest girl there, even let Hinata slept with him the first few nights when Hinata’s sleep was still disturbed by nightmares. Yachi was his first friend. Suga-san was very gentle and always answered Hinata’s questions patiently. Daichi-san looked scary sometimes, but he was kind and he helped Hinata whenever he got into trouble—he was like a father figure.

The orphanage was very different than the lab Hinata’d known as his _home_ for his whole life. It was a lot warmer and full of love. It was very easy for Hinata to connect himself with the people in there—to think of them as his own family, just like the Head Division said, and he promised to always keep his family happy at all cost.

Thus, when he found out that Daichi was actually leading a small rebellion faction called Karasuno, he immediately offered to help. He was flat-out refused at first. Daichi said Hinata was still too young—to which Suga then playfully pointed out Daichi was only three years older than Hinata himself—and that their mission was too dangerous. However, Hinata was determined and nothing, absolutely _nothing_ , could win against a determined Hinata.

Sure the mission Daichi gave to him was sometimes difficult, but Hinata always had a partner with him (mostly Suga-san or, sometimes, Noya-san) so he’d never failed one before. He didn’t mind. Besides, he did it because he wanted to protect these people who gave him a place to actually live his life. These people who took him in without question, who praised him for his absurd power—because as far as Hinata knew, he was the only person in this world who could resist a Diver’s power—and who cherished him as if he was precious.

Yes, Hinata was going to protect everyone in Karasuno and the orphanage. Thus, he really couldn’t help the sour look on his face as he knocked at a guest room which currently held their most recent... well, guest.

For a moment, only silence greeted him. That was fine. Hinata even hoped Kageyama Tobio hadn’t woken up yet so he didn’t have to face the annoying Diver. He still hadn’t forgotten how Kageyama used his ability on Suga-san. The painful throbbing on his face and body also wouldn’t let him forget how Kageyama had beaten him up too. Although, to be fair, Kageyama was currently resting with more-or-less the same amount of bruises on his body. All courtesy of yours truly.

“Oi, are you awake?” Hinata called out with another series of knocks when a minute had passed in silence.

Still no answer. Hinata frowned. He put his ears to the door and listened. The orphanage was old and they didn’t have enough money for a renovation, so the door was rather thin. He could faintly hear the sound of shuffling feet from inside, which meant Kageyama had woken up.

“I’m coming in, alright? Make sure you’re wearing clothes because I don’t want to see your naked body!”

With that Hinata pushed the door open. As he stepped in, he could see Kageyama still sitting on the bed. He was not wearing a shirt, but the bandage wrapped around his torso made his appearance bearable enough for Hinata.

“So you _are_ awake! You should’ve answered me earlier then!”

Kageyama glared. “Thought you were going to enter either way.”

“True, but it’s common courtesy to answer when someone’s knocking on your door! Geez, you don’t even know that? As expected from a stupid Diver who’s lived as a lab rat his whole life.”

“What’s that?! What do you know about how I live, huh?! You stupid, simple-minded shorty!” barked Kageyama. His glare intensified as he stood up from the bed to face Hinata.

“I know a lot more than you think!” Hinata glared right back. Without even realizing it he’d approached Kageyama and they were already standing so close to each other. “I know that you have no knowledge whatsoever about the world. I know you were always locked in your own tiny room without ever needing anything. I know you are just a mindless tool who could do nothing without orders from your superiors! Divers like you are built to destroy people’s happiness! There’s no way I’m gonna accept you willingly! If not for Daichi-san’s order, I’d rather leave you in that rat hole back then!”

“Ugh,” There was nothing Kageyama could say to that. He gritted his teeth in frustration instead, curling his fists into balls in order to control his emotions. He knew what he was even without Hinata pointing it out loud, so the boy’s words sounded even more infuriating to him.

“Like you’re one to talk,” said Kageyama once he’d managed to gather his wits back. His dark eyes narrowed while his lips curled into a derogatory smirk. “I’ve never met someone who could resist my ability before. What does that make you, then? A freak?”

“You—!! BASTARD!”

Hinata made a move to swing at Kageyama, but the sound of the door slamming open made both boys jump spontaneously. Not a second after the light from the hallway filtered into the room and _something_ jumped in.

“ROLLING... THUNDER!!!”

That _something_ shouted out after literally rolling into the room, standing back up and striking a victory pose. This could very well be the strangest thing Kageyama had ever seen in his life. Scratch that, not thing, but a... person? A boy to be exact—or a young adult? Kageyama couldn’t really tell—with spiky brown hair and a grin so big it looked almost ridiculous.

“NOYA-SAN! That was so COOL!!” Hinata exclaimed with sparkles inside his eyes. He immediately ran towards Noya and babbled about how Noya’s movements were so _bwaah_ and _gyaah_. It wasn’t a conversation Kageyama could follow, but apparently Noya was on the same wavelength as Hinata since he replied to every word with equal passion.

“What the...?” Kageyama could feel a headache coming. He just couldn’t get his head around his current situation. Looking at Hinata and the newcomer just made it worse so he decided to turn his head around towards the doorway, only to find there was another person standing there.

“Yo, you’re Kageyama aren’t you?” The man asked in intimidating tone. He had a scary face too. One that immediately reminded Kageyama of some _yankee_ he’d seen when doing a mission. “I heard you dived into Suga-san. Do you think we’ll forgive you that easily, huuh?!”

Kageyama flinched. Now he was really in trouble. With Hinata, he knew the boy was more bark than bite, but this man in front of him now looked like he seriously would beat Kageyama up for what he’d done. He had figured out how important Suga was for this group and he could understand that. Suga really was gentle. Even his heart was so pure Kageyama actually felt guilty when he dove into the man, so it was only natural some members were still holding grudges against him.

“Aww, stop your tough act, Ryuu. Daichi-san told you not to scare him, right? We’re here just to greet him!”

“But, Noya-san! Don’t you feel mad about what he’s done to Suga-san too?!” The one called Ryuu protested, although his face didn’t look as scary as before.

“I’m a bit upset yeah, but Suga-san himself said it was fine, so it’s fine. Besides, he doesn’t look like a bad guy to me.” He approached Kageyama, still smiling from ear to ear even as he held out a hand. “I’m Nishinoya Yuu. Just call me Noya. Nice to meet you, Kageyama!”

“O-oh, nice to meet you too, Noya... san,” replied Kageyama. He hesitantly held out his gloved hand too and shook Nishinoya’s. That one simple gesture made Nishinoya’s smile widen even more.

“See, Ryuu? He’s a good boy!” Noya released Kageyama’s hand and pulled Ryuu closer. “This guy here is Ryuu! He might look scary, but actually he has a soft heart. Don’t be fooled by his appearance, Kageyama!”

“Yeah, but I still can kick your ass if you dare do anything strange.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” said Kageyama seriously. He was sure Ryuu really meant what he said.

“But Noya-san, why are you here? I thought you still had to report to Daichi-san about last night’s mission?” Hinata inquired once all the introductions were done with.

“Ah, I’ve given my report. Then when I asked about Kageyama, Daichi-san suggested that I come here instead. He said something about preventing you two actually hurting each other again? Really, Hinata, you should’ve known better than making Daichi-san mad! Haha!”

Hinata pouted. “Not my fault Kageyama’s so annoying.”

“What did you say?” Kageyama glared at Hinata immediately. He could feel his temper rising again.

“Hahaha, seriously you two just don’t know when to stop!” Noya laughed openly. “Come on, save your quarrel for later. Daichi-san wants to meet you, Kageyama, and I think we shouldn’t make him wait any longer or we will really miss breakfast.”

“Ooh, I heard Kiyoko-san and Yachi are cooking pancakes today! There’s no way I’m gonna miss it!” said Ryuu right before he ran out of the door in lightning speed.

“Ack! Ryuu! That’s cheating! I won’t let you eat Kiyoko-san’s food first!” Nishinoya yelled as he chased after the bald man. Not long after there was a shout and pained exclamation from Ryuu. Apparently Noya had tackled him down in the hallway and then left him behind.

The room suddenly felt far too quiet with Noya and Ryuu gone. Both Hinata and Kageyama still incapable of doing anything except staring at the open door, still dumbstruck by the duo’s sudden departure. For once the silence between them felt comfortable. At least until Kageyama spoke up again.

“Are they always like that?”

“Well, yeah. Noya-san and Ryuu-san are so cool, right? They’re always so full of energy!” Hinata answered with a grin. It took him only a moment after that to realize he was actually speaking and grinning at Kageyama though, and that made him freeze immediately. Heat gathered up on Hinata’s cheeks. He coughed to cover up his embarrassment before busying himself by searching for a clean shirt. He found one inside the drawer and promptly tossed it at Kageyama.

“Anyway! You heard what Noya-san said. Hurry up and wear that. We’re going to see Daichi-san after this!” Hinata instructed then ran out of the room. He closed the door and leant back against the door frame. His head made soft thumping noise against the wood. He had grinned at Kageyama. For a second there he’d actually felt relax enough to let his guard down around the Diver. That was sloppy and dangerous and Hinata really should’ve known better.

“You can’t trust Divers, Hinata,” he whispered to himself. “You can never trust them.”

* * *

“BREAKFAST is held in the main dining room, but before that we’re going to meet with Daichi-san. I hope you’re not hungry yet.”

“I’m fine,” replied Kageyama shortly. He was kind of hungry actually, but the rumbling in his stomach was still faint enough to be ignored. The pain he felt whenever he took a step also worked well to distract him from his basic necessity.

“I don’t think Daichi-san will keep us too long, so you don’t need to worry,” Hinata continued on as if he knew Kageyama was only telling a half-truth. “How’re your wounds by the way? Can you actually walk by yourself or are you just acting tough?”

“I can walk just fine!” Kageyama snapped. He regretted it a moment after though when the bruise on his chest suddenly throbbed painfully. He sucked in sharp breath as he staggered and reached out a hand to lean against the wall.

Meanwhile Hinata just watched without a word. He waited until Kageyama caught his breath before walking down the hallway again. “Just don’t faint on me. I don’t think I’m strong enough to pick you up.”

“I thought you were hurt just as badly as I was last night. How can you recover so fast? You’re not a RCR, are you?”

“Nope! I’m just an ordinary boy with a naturally high metabolism. That doesn’t mean all my wounds are healed magically though. I do still have bruises too.”

“Really? You look as if that doesn’t affect you at all.”

Hinata smiled wryly. _That’s because I’m used to it,_ was what he thought but didn’t say out loud. He kept on walking instead until he stopped in front of a door with a nameplate on it. A simple _Daichi-san_ was written on the nameplate in childish cursive.

“Daichi-san, it’s Hinata. I bring Kageyama with me.” Hinata called out and waited until he got a reply before opening the door. He glanced at Kageyama, making sure the dark haired boy was following, as he stepped in.

The room itself wasn’t that big. The only furniture there was a work table right across from the door, two chairs for guests and bookshelves on the side. The room looked like a typical office, but a large window which was held open sent in enough sunlight and the morning’s breeze to make it seem more welcoming. Suga was there. The silver haired man stood leaning against the window while looking out of it. The gentle breeze played with his hair, ruffling it, until he lifted up a hand to fix the strands. He glanced at Hinata and Kageyama, lips forming a warm smile in greeting, but he didn’t say anything.

“Good morning, you two.”

The voice that welcomed them was deeper than Suga’s and full of authority. It made Kageyama straighten up almost unconsciously, although he felt slightly better when he found Hinata was doing the same thing. He took his eyes off of Suga to the source of the voice. His gaze took in the figure of a man, roughly in his late twenty or early thirty, sitting behind the work table. The man was bulky, his muscles obvious even through the black shirt he wore. Though the thing that caught Kageyama’s eyes longer than it should was his left arm. It was different—in the way that it wasn’t an _arm_ at all. At least, not a natural one. The man’s left arm was mechanical. It looked very similar to his normal arm at first glance, but the way it reflected light showed it was made of metal. It took all of Kageyama’s will-power to stop himself from gawking and to move on with his observation of the man’s appearance. Kageyama took in the way the man’s brows were furrowed lightly, giving him a strict expression but not angry, while his sharp jaws were tightly shut. The man’s eyes were sharp and intense when they met Kageyama’s. One thing that made him swallow unconsciously, for under those eyes Kageyama felt like he was being tested.

“Good morning, Daichi-san!” Hinata replied to Daichi’s greeting cheerfully. Almost like he didn’t care about the tension in the room—or maybe he just hadn’t caught on, considering how oblivious he was sometimes.

Daichi’s eyes softened considerably as they turned to Hinata. His lips formed a thin smile that still looked warm. “I’m glad you two seem to be better. At least without any additional wounds,” he started, prompting Hinata and Kageyama to flush in embarrassment and Suga to snicker from behind. The smile on Daichi’s face spread into a grin. “Something I’m sure wouldn’t happen had I not sent Tanaka and Noya before.”

“Daichi, teasing them like that isn’t good. I’m sure they’ve learned to get along by now,” said Suga. He then pushed himself away from the window to stand beside Daichi. The smile on his face hadn’t changed in the slightest. “You should go straight to the point. I’ve started to get starving here and I really don’t want to miss Shimizu’s food.”

“Ah, you have a point there,” said Daichi before turning his attention back to Kageyama once again. “I’m glad I can finally meet you, Kageyama Tobio. Welcome to The Nest. I’m Sawamura Daichi, leader of Karasuno. First of all, I apologize for our rough treatment last night. Although, had you been willing to listen to Suga, things would’ve been really different.”

Kageyama shrugged lightly. “I was trained to attack first, talk later—if ever. Back then, you were an intruder. Therefore, you were my enemies.”

“I guess you’re right. Well then, as an apology, I’ll try answering any questions you may have as best as I can.”

“Any questions?” Kageyama asked to make sure. When Daichi nodded, he continued with the first question he had. “Then... why did you bring me with you? I’m still part of the government. Shouldn’t it be better to kill me instead of bringing me to your stronghold?”

“Hmm, that’s true, but,” Daichi’s eyes softened once again. “you’re just a kid, aren’t you? We’re not going to kill children, even if it was one whose hands were painted in blood. Besides, we know living in the government’s facility isn’t exactly rainbows and sunshine.”

“But I’m your enemy,” said Kageyama. He really couldn’t understand Daichi’s answer.

“Are you, really?” mused Daichi. He leaned back against his chair as he continued, “True, the government is our enemy, but whether you also count as one or not still depends. I may be only a Normal, but I have friends, both RCR and those who have been discarded by the government alike, who had told me what happened inside the government’s facility. At the very least, we all know people like you don’t have many choices. For all of your life, you’ve been told to obey orders and you act accordingly. That doesn’t make you our enemy. After all, that’s the only life you’ve ever known.

“Of course, that will change if you actually take pleasure in breaking your enemies’ minds and killing them. Which, I’m afraid, would mean that we’d have to execute you after all.” Daichi’s calm voice hadn’t change at all although his eyes narrowed minutely. “So, tell me, Kageyama. Are you really our enemy?”

There were a lot of meanings behind Daichi’s question that Kageyama couldn’t immediately answer. He curled his hands into tight fists, conflicting with his own feelings. In a way, Daichi was right. His life in the facility was all Kageyama had ever known. Thus, he had never bothered to consider his own feelings whenever he was given a mission. It might be more accurate to say he’d never felt anything. He never felt pity for any enemies he’d killed, but on the other hand he didn’t feel thrilled either. Maybe that should be enough.

“No, I’m not your enemy.” Kageyama answered at last. He still wasn’t perfectly sure about it, but it was the best he could give for now.

Daichi seemed to weigh in the answer. In the end he nodded, though, and a pleased smile cracked his strict countenance.  “Good. Then that’s all the answer I need. Now, I’m sure you still have many questions, but I’m afraid they’ll have to wait for now. It’s breakfast time now and it’d be too cruel for me to hold you two up for any longer.”

“But—!”

“Kageyama,” Suga spoke up. He smiled kindly at the younger boy. “We’ll answer your questions later. For now, I think Daichi’s right. You’ll need energy to get better soon.”

The look on Kageyama’s face made it obvious he didn’t particularly like the idea, but in the end he simply nodded. He still had many questions, but asking them now would only be pointless. Daichi and Suga didn’t seem willing to give any more information. Besides, breakfast sounded like a good idea now since his stomach had started to growl from hunger.

“Alright. As long as you promise to give me answers.”

Suga grinned. “Yes, we promise. Now go on, you two. Oh, and Hinata, please don’t forget to bring Kageyama to our doctor after breakfast, okay? You two need to be checked up.”

“Do we really have to, Suga-san?” Hinata whined. He really didn’t want to meet the doctor so early in the morning. They weren’t exactly the best of friends.

“Hahaha, you should at least pretend to be a bit happy about it!” Suga chuckled seeing Hinata’s sour expression. “But you can’t ditch this time. I’ll make sure to inform Tsukishima you two are coming.”

The groan Hinata uttered at that was totally heartfelt. “Okay, then. Well, I’ll see you two later, Suga-san, Daichi-san. Let’s go, Kageyama. I’m starving!”

After that, Hinata immediately grabbed Kageyama’s wrist and dragged him out of the room. He didn’t seem to care about Kageyama’s muffled protest which made Daichi and Suga chuckle in amusement once again. Once the door had been closed behind the duo, Suga moved to sit on the edge of Daichi’s desk. He was considerate enough to make sure there was no important documents squished under him though.

Daichi took a look at that and couldn’t help an exasperated sigh. Even so the smile on his face was fond. He reached out to rest his palm atop Suga’s hand. They shared a comfortable silence for a moment, indulging in the warmth of each other even after years of being together. A lot of things had happened to them in the past. Most of them were bad memories neither wanted to experience ever again, while the rest would always be remembered with a smile. Though it was those difficult times that actually brought them closer—despite Daichi being a Normal and Suga a RCR—and that led them towards the present.

“You’re thinking of sappy things again aren't you, Daichi?” said Suga, his voice gentle in his teasing.

“Like you’re not thinking the same,” replied Daichi. His smile still hadn’t left his face. “I’m just always grateful for everything whenever I’m with you like this.”

The sincerity in Daichi’s voice pulled at Suga’s heart. There was regret and a little bit of guilt in his eyes now. “Even though you lost your arm because of me?”

“ _Koushi_.” Daichi’s voice was exasperated. He hadn’t pulled his hand away though. As Suga offered him a mere shrug before turning away, he tightened his hold and pulled lightly, making sure Suga’s attention was fully on him once again. “I thought we’d talked about this.”

“Yeah,” Suga whispered softly. He swallowed the feelings that seemed to choke him. The warmth of Daichi’s hand on his became his anchor to stay in the present without being pulled by his own guilt. “Yeah, we have, but I can’t just stop feeling guilty about it. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be hurt. If only I’d become a good little soldier who obeyed orders. If only I hadn’t tried to run away. You wouldn’t be hurt, Daichi. You’d still be whole.”

“Well, at least _I_ still feel whole even now,” said Daichi in flat tone. He flexed his mechanical arm as if to prove his words. “Besides, the kids think it’s cool and Asahi’s really fixated on it too. Really, from my point of view, there’s nothing bad with losing an arm.”

“You certainly didn’t say that when Asahi attached the bloody thing to your bones.”

“Hey! That was different! The pain was really terrible, you know?”

“No, I didn’t know,” but Suga could imagine. Daichi’s scream still haunted his nightmares. Even now he was still amazed Asahi actually had the nerve to complete the procedure. He’d half thought the gentle man would’ve got cold feet and stopped the procedure right after witnessing how much pain Daichi was in. Of course, once it was over, Asahi had looked even paler than Daichi and he never once left Daichi’s bedside until he completely recovered.

“I just made you feel even guiltier, didn’t I?” Daichi sighed. “Honestly though, Koushi, I didn’t regret anything. After all, I owe you my life so of course I’d have to return the favor.”

“You’re exaggerating, Daichi,” mumbled Suga even though there was light pink dusting on his cheeks. There was truth in Daichi’s words. Suga had—technically—saved Daichi’s life once.

They were enemies at first. Suga was one of the government’s soldiers and Daichi part of the rebels since he was young. They met when Suga was given an order to repress the rebellion in the tenth ward’s slum and they fought quite intensely. Of course, as a Normal—and a teenager at that—Daichi had no chance to win. Suga beat him soundly and he should’ve ended Daichi’s life right there and then, but he didn’t. Instead, he had stopped once Daichi couldn’t get up again and left him until the other rebels came to fetch him.

Apparently it was the beginning of Daichi’s fascination with him. Ever since then, Suga would meet Daichi whenever he came to the slum. They didn’t talk much at first, both still too wary about the other, but Suga was lonely and Daichi offered him a companion he just couldn’t resist. The friendship that grew between them was inevitable. They became closer each time they met, sharing thoughts and dreams and ideas.

Daichi’s stories made Suga realize how much he longed for a different life, one where he wouldn’t have to kill anybody. He told Daichi this one time when he felt particularly gloomy after a mission and he couldn’t hide his surprise when Daichi replied with a suggestion to run away. Suga had laughed back then. He thought Daichi was only joking because really, that was one hell of a crazy idea. He should’ve known though that Daichi wasn’t the type of person who could joke at something like this. Not when Suga had poured his heart out—telling him all of his reluctance, insecurity and fear at being a part of the government’s RCR army—so much that he trembled by the end of it.

Once he realized Daichi actually meant his words, Suga was filled with hope and dread. It was tempting to accept the idea and run away together with the black haired boy, but at the same time he knew the chance of them actually getting away from the government was slim to none. Suga had never been one who believed in chance. He’d never take any decision without proper thought. One that might end up badly was usually discarded and Daichi’s idea should’ve been one of them.

In his confusion, Suga had taken the only choice he could think of. He ran away. He ran and left Daichi alone without any explanation. Daichi called out to him but didn’t chase after him—which was a wise move because Suga couldn’t think clearly at that time. He avoided Daichi after that. He took more missions than before, hanging out with the other RCRs in the facility or simply practicing alone just so he wouldn’t have to return to the slum. Still Daichi’s words lingered in his mind. They clung tightly and bugged him day and night until finally Suga couldn’t lie to himself anymore.

“I was so afraid you’d avoid me forever back then. So afraid my silly idea had cost me your friendship. I could barely sleep for the whole week you’d been gone.” Daichi murmured softly. His mind also went to the past. To the start of everything.

“And that’s why you snuck up to the facility? Just to meet me? Honestly, Daichi, there must be something wrong with your brain.”

“Mm, don’t blame me for being crazy in love with you,” said Daichi although he couldn’t hold back his own chuckle at the cheesy words. He played with Suga’s hand, linking their fingers together and squeezing tight. “In all seriousness though... I was really afraid. I needed to make sure you were still there. I’d been so used to seeing you everyday so when you suddenly disappeared for a week, I was... in panic. Kuroo helped me with the sneaking in, and in my defense, I was really only meant to see you back then.”

“What made you change the plan then?”

Immediately an image of Suga sitting on his own bed with both knees drawn up to his chest flashed in Daichi’s mind. He remembered the stunning shock he felt when seeing it. Suga in his memories was always smiling or laughing so it was the first time he’d ever seen the silver haired man in such a despondent position. His body had moved by its own will, bringing him closer to Suga as if to answer his wish to gather him into his arms and protect him from everything cruel in this world. Suga’d lifted his head up in his direction and even now the sight of Suga’s silver eyes glazed with unshed tears was still clear in his mind.

“You may say that I’d just come to a conclusion back then. When I saw you again after so long, I made a decision, the best one I’ve ever made, and that decision was to always spend my life with you.”

Suga smiled wryly. “And that decision of yours got you shot, infected, even lost an arm literally. I hope you’ve learnt to think more before taking huge life changing decisions next time.”

“Don’t worry, I just lose my mind when it’s about you.” Daichi said with conviction. After all, the only person he’d ever felt the urge to kidnap was Suga. Not that he really succeeded at that either, because halfway through the facility’s guards had caught up with them and he’d gotten shot not long after. Daichi didn’t really remember what happened after that. He was sure he’d passed out eventually and the next thing he knew, he was waking up in his own room. The next day he heard that the government’s facility was destroyed by an explosion but he couldn’t remember that either.

He kinda had an idea who might’ve done that, but Daichi never voiced his speculation out loud and Suga never said anything so he decided to simply disregard the news. All that matter was having Suga by his side. Daichi couldn’t care less who he’d hurt or even killed in order to achieve that one wish. Their lives after that only got better. They never spent a day apart from each other and their family slowly grew with each ‘stray’ Suga would take in. Truly, Daichi had never felt more content with his life before this.

“I think that’s enough talking about the past,” Suga jumped off of the desk without releasing Daichi’s hand. He gave a little tug so that Daichi would stand up too. “We should join the others for breakfast, though I’m not sure there’ll be any left by now. Nevertheless, we should at least check how many disasters Hinata and Kageyama have caused and make sure no one was traumatized.”

“Oh, come on, surely they can’t be that bad.”

Suga outright laughed at that. “Oh, Daichi, my poor Daichi,” he shook his head in mock sympathy. “I think you’re gonna be having frequent headaches in near future.”

“Koushi. Please tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m perfectly serious. Those two... well, you may say they have a rather complicated bond between them.”

“Oh great,” Daichi groaned. “Why can’t you just take in someone normal and sweet like Yachi? I’m quite sure we don’t need anymore troublemakers after Tanaka and Nishinoya.”

“Aww, don’t say that. I know you love them nevertheless!”

Daichi snorted. He didn’t bother replying since they both knew the answer to that. He simply let Suga lead him towards the main dining room, pleased with the warmth he still could feel through their linking hands.

* * *

BREAKFAST was quite an interesting affair. Everyone from the orphanage actually gathered in the main dining room just to share the meal together. The fact that the room itself wasn’t big enough for all of them didn’t seem to matter. Everyone just sat wherever they wanted; be it on another person’s lap or even on the floor. The smaller children were given high chairs while the oldest ones—like Daichi and Sugawara and two beautiful girls called Shimizu and Yachi—watched them carefully, although Nishinoya and Tanaka actually acted more like a kid than the toddlers. They only calmed down once Daichi gave them a sharp glare.

Kageyama was saved from the chaos only because Hinata skilfully took him to the quieter corner of the room. They were greeted by a very big man who immediately made Kageyama’s hackles rise. That man looked very intimidating with his long hair and beard, but then the man smiled sheepishly and the tension in Kageyama’s body immediately disappeared. It was difficult to feel afraid at someone who looked more scared of him despite his look.

The man introduced himself as Azumane Asahi. Hinata said he was an engineer—to which Asahi himself tried to deny weakly—and that he was the one who designed Daichi’s mechanical arm from scratch. Kageyama was instantly impressed. Sure, he had heard about the development of mechanical limbs, but as far as he knew, not many people had actually managed to create one. He certainly hadn’t expected someone like Asahi, who obviously had no funding back up from the government at all, would be capable to make something like that. After that their conversation went around the current technology. Apparently it was a topic Asahi actually enjoyed because he gradually became more at ease. They spent the whole breakfast while having that interesting discussion even after Nishinoya suddenly joined in.

After breakfast Hinata told Kageyama they were going to see a doctor. This made Kageyama frown a bit. Medical check-up was actually an obligation for both RCRs and Divers due to their complex genetic conformity, but not every doctor could treat RCRs or Divers. Since their body physiology was completely different than Normals, RCRs and Divers could only be treated by specialized doctors. Like everything else related to RCRs and Divers, the education needed to take that field was also monitored very tightly by the government. Kageyama was sure none of the district’s resident would be allowed to enroll.

When he brought this matter to Hinata, he had just shrugged.

“Tsukishima’s a bit different,” Hinata wrinkled his nose as if unwilling to continue at first. “He’s... good, but he isn’t officially a doctor. We don’t really have the luxury of high education like that.”

“Are you sure someone like that can be trusted?”

“Mm, like I said, Tsukishima’s skill is good. I can assure you there won’t be any mistake in his diagnosis or medical check-up. The only problem is that he doesn’t have any bedside manner at all.”

“He sounds like a fun guy.” Kageyama said sarcastically.

“Oh, you have no idea,” Hinata grinned. “I’m just glad you’re the only who’ll need a check-up this time. At least then I can spend my time with Yamaguchi and just watch you suffer.”

Kageyama snorted. Hinata looked far too smug when he said that. It made him wonder how bad this Tsukishima was. Maybe Kageyama should expect the worst because then he wouldn’t be surprised by anything and there would be no unnecessary fights.

The rest of their ten minutes walk towards Tsukishima’s place—a small, humble building with Tsukishima plate name upfront—was spent in silence. When they finally arrived, the clinic itself looked almost abandoned. Hinata didn’t seem bothered by the lack of people around, though. He simply walked in straight pass the reception-slash-waiting room to the treatment room. Kageyama had no choice but to follow him.

Turned out there was actually a patient in. It was a little girl who needed treatment for her scrapped knee. The doctor—Tsukishima—calmly dressed the wound without words while the nurse, a young man with kind smile and freckled face, soothed the girl with calming words. Hinata tugged at Kageyama’s hand to get his attention. He then nodded towards two plastic chairs at the right side of the door, indicating they should wait for their turn. Kageyama nodded in understanding.

Thankfully they didn’t have to wait too long. Well, a scrapped knee wasn’t really a serious case, so that was to be expected, but still Kageyama felt relieved when the little girl was escorted out by both the nurse and the doctor. He never liked hospitals or clinics. The smell of antiseptic reminded him too much of the lab and all the tests he’d gone through. Just thinking that made Kageyama shudder involuntarily. He sucked in a deep breath and turned his attention to Hinata to distract himself.

Kageyama almost jumped in his seat when intense bronze eyes immediately met his gaze. Hinata was staring at him and there was something in his eyes that made Kageyama uncomfortable.

“W-what are you staring at?!”

“You look pale.” Hinata answered plainly. “I guess you don’t like being here either, huh? It’s alright. I can understand. Tsukishima’s quick in doing check-ups, so I think you’ll be fine.”

Heat crept up Kageyama’s cheeks. The soothing tone Hinata’d used only made him feel even more embarrassed by his silly fear. He could feel his anger rising from the humiliation. Rationally, he knew his fear wasn’t something he could control, but to have Hinata talked to him like that wasn’t something his pride could accept.

“I don’t need your pity,” Kageyama growled.

Hinata blinked innocently. “I’m not pitying you. Besides, you’re not the only one who has bad memories about hospitals, you know. Thinking that I’d pity you just for that is a bit too arrogant.”

Kageyama narrowed his eyes. “How dare you say that when you don’t know anything about me.”

“Well, excuse me! We’ve just met! Of course I don’t know anything about you, Idiot! Besides, it’s not like I’m interested. I’m just here because Daichi-san and Sugawara-san asked for my help! If not, I’d be more than happy to avoid seeing you altogether!”

“Well then I don’t need you here! You can run back to the orphanage for all I care! It’s not like I can’t take care of myself!”

“Yeah, I hope someone actually shot you down on the street,” murmured Hinata under his breath.

“What’s that, bastard?!”

“Please don’t tell me you’re fighting here. I have neither the time nor energy to handle you two right now.”

A third voice cut into their argument. Kageyama closed his mouth in reflex while Hinata flinched visibly. Curious with the other’s reaction, Kageyama turned his attention to the source of the voice to find Tsukishima and his nurse standing right behind Hinata. The blond haired doctor lifted his brows in condescending manner. Though this was their first meeting, Kageyama could understand why Hinata disliked him so much.

“So, you’re Kageyama,” said Tsukishima in a drawl. His lips lifted into a smirk as he leaned towards Kageyama. “The newcomer. I hope you won’t get into too much trouble unlike this shorty here.”

“Who did you call shorty, you four-eyed jerk?!”

“ _Maa_ , I’d love nothing more than to escort the two of you out, but unfortunately Daichi-san’s asking for my help directly so I have little choice but to treat both of you.” Tsukishima continued as if he hadn’t heard Hinata’s complain at all. He put his hands on his coat’s pockets and walked pass them towards the first bed. “Come on, I’ll start from you, Kageyama.”

“Please, come this way, Kageyama-san,” the nurse said with a timid smile. He patiently waited until Kageyama stood up and followed him. “Your injuries from last night seemed to be healing well. That’s good. Tsukki—I mean, Tsukishima-sensei won’t have to do much. A standard medical check-up will be enough for you today.”

“How do you know I was injured?” Kageyama asked. He was genuinely curious. All of his wounds were covered up by shirt right now so this nurse—whom he had never met before—shouldn’t have known about them. “And what’s your name? I’m guessing you’re friends with Hinata and the others too?”

“Ah, I’m Yamaguchi Tadashi. Just call me Yamaguchi. Yes, I and Tsukishima-sensei have known Hinata and everyone from the orphanage for years. We’re rather close. About your injuries... well, I simply _feel_ it. I was supposed to be a Diver, but my ability never develop further. Instead of going into people’s minds, I’m just capable of sharing what they feel. I’m particularly accustom with pain too, so it works well with my current job.”

“I see,” Kageyama was rather astonished actually. He’d met so many people in his short stay here and most of them were unique. Of course he knew in the eyes of the government, people like Yamaguchi or Hinata (who was still a mystery even for him) would only be considered as Defects who should be discarded, but to actually speak with them was fascinating for Kageyama.

“Please sit on the bed,” Yamaguchi instructed and Kageyama started a bit. He hadn’t realized they’d been walking that far. Thankfully Yamaguchi didn’t comment anything. The nurse simply gave him a kind smile as Kageyama obeyed.

“Thank you, Yamaguchi. I think I’ll be fine by myself. You should go back to shorty’s side and make sure he doesn’t make a mess.”

“O-oh, alright then, Tsukki. Just... call me if you need anything,” said Yamaguchi with a soft smile.

Tsukishima merely nodded. He watched as Yamaguchi nodded at Kageyama before walking back towards Hinata who was still sulking. Once he was sure Yamaguchi had managed to calm Hinata down, Tsukishima finally turned towards Kageyama.

“Okay. Now, take off your clothes.” He ordered in no-nonsense tone. When Kageyama didn’t immediately obey, he raised his brows and gave a long suffering sigh. “Look, you’re wasting my time. I need to look at your wounds to know how fast your body is healing. I can only give you meds after I’ve decided your regeneration rate. So, _please take off your clothes now._ ”

Kageyama glared at Tsukishima. He was tempted to continue on being stubborn just to make the doctor angry, but decided against it in the end. With reluctance clearly shown on his face he finally took of his shirt.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes but didn’t comment on Kageyama’s childish manner. His expression became more serious as he observe the bruises on Kageyama’s body.

“Hmm, they’re already healing, but not at such high rate like RCRs. I’d say your regeneration speed’s probably just a bit above Normals.” He walked towards a glass drawer and took out a vial of some cell-suppressant complete with a syringe. He brought all the items with him when walking back to Kageyama. “What kind of suppressant you usually take?”

“Just the standard, over the counter ones, I guess,” Kageyama watched warily as Tsukishima took out the drug with syringe. “The doctors at the facility also said my cell regeneration rate isn’t anywhere near RCR’s so there’s no need for any special suppressants. I didn’t take them daily either. It’s more of a weekly dose. Though, I’ve heard RCRs actually need to take suppressants twice a day. Else their own new cells would eat up their old ones.”

“That’s true,” Tsukishima took Kageyama’s arm and tried to locate the veins. “RCRs regeneration ability is like a double edged sword. It’s practical, of course, since it makes them basically immune against all kind of wounds and/or illness, but at the same time, the regeneration of new cells will destroy their bodies if left uncontrolled. That’s why RCRs need to be given suppressants daily—or even twice daily as you’ve said—to slow the splitting process of their cells. Even with that, though, RCRs still generally have shorter life-span than either Normals or Divers.”

“So in the end, those defects... they who escape from the facility... will actually die?”

“Yes, because getting access to RCRs’ suppressants isn’t easy. Only qualified doctors are allowed to purchase them. Those who escape but can’t get access to the suppressants won’t last long. At most they’ll only live for a week before their bodies start to itch so badly. Usually they will kill themselves in the end or lost their mind instead. It’s a lost-lost situation so really, those who tries to escape are fools.”

Kageyama frowned. “Does that mean your nurse is a fool too?” he asked and promptly hissed when the needle bit his skin. Tsukishima didn’t even give any warning before injecting the suppressant. Bastard.

“We’re done here. Wear your clothes and go home. I’d like to spend the rest of my day in peace.” Tsukishima ordered curtly. He threw the syringe and empty vial to a yellow box nearby before walking towards his work desk. “I’ll give you some pain killers for your bruises, but other than that you’re quite healthy. Just come back for another check up next week.”

Kageyama grumbled under his breath about doctors and bedside manner even as he wore his shirt. He knew the bruises would feel slightly worse now because of the suppressant, though, so he really needed that painkiller. When he walked towards Tsukishima, the doctor had already written a prescription.

“I’ll give you enough painkiller for about a week. Don’t take too much though. It’ll be a lot more annoying work for me if you ended up addicted.”

“I won’t get addicted,” Kageyama took the prescription with a scowl. “We’re taught better self-control back in the facility. We’ll never rely on drugs that can dull our senses.”

“Most people will say that before they’re hooked on drugs,” Tsukishima drawled aloofly. “Anyway, what’s with your gloves? I feel hot just by looking at it and it doesn’t even go well with your clothes. Why don’t you just take them off?”

“... I can’t take them off.”

“Oh? Are they glued directly to your skin per chance?” Tsukishima asked with mock seriousness in his voice.

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Kageyama scowled. He crossed his arms on his chest. “I just... can’t. If I took them off, bad things might happen.”

Kageyama’s voice was no louder than a whisper by the end of the statement. Tsukishima narrowed his eyes minutely, but held himself back from commenting. In the end he just shrugged. “Suits yourself. Though, I’ll feel a lot better if you never touched me with your hands. Do you even wash those gloves?”

“Of course I wash them!” Kageyama snapped. His ire only got worse when Hinata laughed out loud at that. “Don’t laugh, Hinata! We’re done here. Let’s go!”

With that Kageyama stomped his way out of the clinic, followed by a snickering Hinata behind him.

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima watched until the two of them disappeared from their line of sight. Yamaguchi let out a soft sigh before turning towards Tsukishima. “Tsukki, you teased Kageyama a bit too much.”

“I’m merely voicing out my opinion. If he couldn’t take it then it’s his own problem.” Tsukishima leaned back on his chair. “He doesn’t look that weak to me.”

“Well, that’s true,” still Yamaguchi was a bit worry. He bit his lower lip in contemplation. “I’m curious about his gloves too, though. I wonder what’s the real reason he wears them.”

“It’s his pacifier.”

“Pacifier?”

“Some Divers usually need something to... dampen their ability, I guess. Those who can’t control their power at first might feel overwhelmed from hearing people’s thoughts all time. They might even got into the wrong people’s minds and from what I’ve heard, diving into people’s thoughts isn’t exactly pleasant. So some Divers usually take an item—anything really—as their focus point. When they wear that item, they can control their power better. It’s all just psychological though. The gloves are just ordinary gloves, but for Kageyama, they are the only thing preventing his power to get out of control.”

“So... all Divers need a pacifier to control their power?”

“No,” Tsukishima shook his head. “Like I’ve said, only _some_ Divers need it. Those who’re actually skillful won’t need any outside interference to control their power. Those are the exceptional Divers, ones considered as elites even among the government’s military rank. They are really strong and, consequently, really dangerous. I really hope I won’t meet any of them in my whole life.”

A shudder ran through Yamaguchi’s body. “B-but the government won’t bother dispatching people like that to our district, right? I-I’m quite sure we’re not that dangerous.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Tsukishima gave a thin smile. “Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll be safe.”

Although even as he said that, Tsukishima wasn’t sure it was the whole truth. There was something about Kageyama that set him at unease. Something more than mere personal dislike. He just wished they hadn’t bitten more than they could chew and hoped the eyes of the government wouldn’t be turn towards them.

 

* * *

>>- **END OF PART I** -<<

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading until the end! I hope you enjoy it. :)


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